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Q:

I got a cold 10 days ago and lost my voice. It has been gone this whole time, and I can't talk louder than a whisper. This has happened before and the longest I have lost my voice is 17 days. Is this OK?

A:

It is very unusual to lose your voice for that length of time unless you are continually coughing hard, causing trauma and swelling of the vocal cords. Are you exposed to smoke, either smoking yourself or breathing second hand smoke?

It may be necessary for the throat specialists to take a look at your vocal cords. That is a procedure that requires a special light and scope so the Student Health Center is not equipped to do it but we certainly can assess your symptoms and make a referral.